Mangaung Metro firefighters have since managed to control the blaze, which originated in a room in a corner flat at Devon Court in Raymond Mhlaba Street. Manager at Mangaung Metro’s Emergency Medical Services, Chris Lamprecht, tells OFM News the fire spread through the ceiling of the single flat where it started, before threatening to spread to adjacent flats.

“The first crew on scene entered the flat involved and they extinguished the fire by breaking through the ceiling. One person was injured. It doesn’t look as though its burn wounds, it’s only smoke inhalation.” Lamprecht says while they do not know what caused the fire, he does acknowledge that during the colder months of the year, people do tend to use electric blankets and heaters resulting in more incidences like the one in Raymond Mhlaba Street.

According to Lamprecht, the flat where the fire originated is extensively damaged, while the adjacent flat’s ceiling is damaged due to the fire and there is some water damage as well. The unidentified elderly woman was in a state of shock and will be receiving attention for that as well. The remaining Devon Court residents were shaken by the incident and were seen standing on the sidelines, expressing their concern for the woman’s safety. Police were also present on the scene.

OFM News/Lucky Nkuyane and Olebogeng Motse